Chief Director of the Bono East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), George Padmore Mensah has commended the Regional Health Directorate for its proactive efforts that have contributed to the reduction of maternal mortality in the region.

Mr Mensah stated that available data on maternal mortality at the Regional Health Directorate indicates that the directorate recorded 105 per 100,000 live births in the year 2019 and 92 per 100,000 live births last year.

He made the comments at a Regional Maiden Mid-Year performance review at Kintampo in the Bono East Region.

The exercise was aimed at revealing the challenges of service, the root causes of maternal mortality, and finding solutions to them.

It was under the theme “Continuity of quality service delivery amid Covi-19”.

He entreated health workers to continue providing quality health delivery to ensure no woman loses her life during childbearing.

Mr Mensah pointed out that due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, additional burden has been added to health care delivery which could have a toll on the country's health services systems.

Mr. Mensah however expressed joy that the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine in the country would help break the transmission of the disease and reduce the burden and stress on the service.

He urged the public to debunk all the controversies surrounding the vaccine adding that the vaccine has been certified by the Food and Drugs Authority.

Mr Mensah stated that the capacity to deliver health services may be impaired by resource allocation towards pandemic response and could overburden the health workforce as well as prevent people from visiting health facilities due to fear of exposure.

Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng, Bono East Regional Health Director observed that family planning acceptance in the area was very low as the region had recorded 40.1 percent last year as compared to 41.1 percent in 2019 adding that antenatal care visits also reduced from 76 percent in 2019 to 74.4 percent last year.

He urged stakeholders in the health sector to complement the effort of the service in bringing quality health delivery to the doorsteps of the people to help achieve universal health care in the country.